Metal awnings



Oct. 11, 1955 F. c. RUSSELL AL METAL AWNINGS Filed Sept. 14, 1954 INVENTOR Frank C. Russell E ward R-Hare '8 ATTORNEYS United States Patent METAL AWNINGS Frank C. Russell, Chestertown, Md., and Edward R. .Horejs, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The F. C. Russell Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 14, 1954, Serial No. 455,970

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-575) The present invention relates to metal awnings or canopies for covering doors, windows and other building openings and more particularly to sheet metal awnings having reversible spacers for supporting the louvers of the awning at diiferent inclinations.

According to the present invention an awning is provided having a supporting bar which carries a plurality of overlapping louvers arranged in parallel relation and inclined with respect to the supporting bar with the upper edge of each louver in engagement with the bar. A spacer member is provided between each louver and the supporting bar to hold the louver at either of two inclinations, whereby different amounts of light are allowed to pass through the awning to the inside of the building, Each spacer member is angle shaped and has legs of unequal length which engage the supporting bar. Each leg has a hole therein for receiving a screw or other attaching member which extends between the louver and the supporting bar. The hole in the shorter leg is located farther from the supporting bar than the hole in the longer leg so that the louver is at different inclinations with respect to said bar when its attaching member projects through a different opening, and the louver is held tightly against the supporting bar and the spacer member.

An object of the present invention is tolprovide an awning of the stationary louver type which may be readily and economically manufactured and assembled, which has a minimum of parts, and which may be as sembled from the same parts with the parallel louvers at either of two diflerent inclinations.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an awning or canopy representative of the present invention, attached to a building, parts being broken away and the louver bank being foreshortened;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the awning shown in Fig. 1 and on a larger scale, the awning being foreshortened and the spacer members having their longer legs directed upwardly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 and on the same scale but showing the spacer members reversed to support the louvers at a greater angle of inclination with respect to the vertical; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a larger scale of one of the spacer members shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

eferring more particularly to the drawings in which like parts are identified with the same numerals throughout the several views, the awning or canopy of the present invention comprises one or more banks of parallel, longitudinally extending louvers 1 carried in fixed position by a rigid metal frame and mounted on a vertical building wall 2 above a door, window or other building opening (not shown). The frame includes horizontal angle-shaped supporting arms or 2,720,010 Patented Oct. 11, 1955 bases 3 each having one end (not shown) rigidly connected to the building wall by mounting screws or the like and its opposite end rigidly connected to a longitudinally-extending horizontal bottom angle 4, as by means of a machine screw 5 and a nut 6. A pair of parallel, inclined, supporting bars or frame rails 7 are rigidly connected to the bottom angle 4, as by means of machine screws 8 and nuts 9. The supporting arms 3 and the frame rails 7 are preferably mounted perpendicular to the bottom angle 4 and are mounted on the wall 2 so that the angle 4 and the louvers 1 are parallel to the wall.

Each of the series of louvers 1 comprises longitudinally extending portions 14 and 15 arranged in offset parallel planes and integrally joined by a longitudinally extending connection portion 16. Angularly disposed flanges 17 and 18 are provided along the opposite edges of the louvers 1, the flanges 17 being downturned along the lower edges of the louver portions 14 and the flanges 18 being upturned along the upper edges of the louver portions 15.

The upper part of the awning is provided with a longitudinally extending top louver 19 which is generally similar to the louvers 1 to harmonize therewith. The top louver 19 has integrally joined, parallel, stepped portions 21 and 22, and a downturned flange 23, similar to the portions 14 and 15 and flanges 17 of the main louvers 1. The upper stepped portion 22 is flat and, as herein shown, is wider than the corresponding portions 15 of the main louvers. The upper end of each supporting bar '7 is provided. with a bent projecting portion 24 which lies fiat against the flat bottom surface of the portion 22 of the top louver and is rigidly connected thereto by a machine screw 25 and a nut 26.

Asa support for the upper edge of the awning structure, a longitudinally-extending, horizontal, top mounting rail 10 may be rigidly connected to the wall 2 by screws 11 or the like. The rail is provided with a reversely bent flange 12 upturned along the bottom edge of the rail and disposed at an acute angle to the body of the rail. The flange and the body of the rail provide a V-shaped channel 13 that extends the full length of the awning and serves as a conductor for carrying water that runs down the side of the wall 2 to the ends of the awning, thereby preventing such water from entering under the awning.

Along its upper edge, the top louver is formed with a depending hook flange 20 in lieu of the upstanding flange 18 on each of the main louvers 1. This hook flange is received in the channel 13 and is screwed, bolted, or otherwise rigidly connected to the flange 12. The top louver 19 and the mounting rail 10 therefore serve to hold the awning frame in fixed position.

A longitudinally extending louver valance 27 of sheet metal is provided at the bottom of the awning. The valance 27 comprises an inclined upper portion 28 having an upturned flange 29, similar to the flanges 18 of the main louvers, and a vertical lower portion 30 which may have scallops 31 or other ornamental configuration formed along its bottom edge. The valance 27 lies flat against the top of the supporting bars 7 and is rigidly attached thereto, as by self-tapping metal screws 32.

A series of louvers, usually five or more, is supported on the bars 7 in substantially parallel relationship, with the downturned flange 17 or 23 of each louver overhanging the upturned flange 18 or 29 of the next lower louver or of the valance 27, whereby the awning will shed water. Each louver is held in an inclined position on the supporting bars 7 by reversible angle-shaped, spacer members 33, with each louver engaging the bars 7 above its spacing member 33.

.Each spacer member 33 is formed from a rectangular piece of sheet metal. It is provided with. integrallyjoined legs 34 and 35 of unequal length and preferably, with inwardly turned flanges 36 and 37 at its opposite ends which engage the top of a supporting bar 7. The leg 35 is substantially longer than the leg 34 so that his inclined at a smaller angle with respect to the supporting bar.

The legs of each spacer are provided with circular openings 38 and 39 of a size to receive a metal screw or other attaching member; and the opening 39 in the longer leg 35 of each spacer is located further from the juncture 41 of saidlegs than is the opening 38 in the other leg 34 thereof. Thus the spacer member is reversible end for end to support a louver ateither of two different angles ofinclination relative to the supporting bar, as hereinafter described.

The upper stepped portion 15 of each louver 1 and the upper stepped portion 22 of the-top louver 19 are provided with circular openings adapted to be aligned with either the voenings 38 or openings 39 of the spacers 33 and to'receive long self-tapping metal screws 40 or similar elongated attaching members. Each screw 40 is of a size to extend through the opening in a louver, through one ofthe openings 38or 39 in a spacer, and into a supporting bar 7 to hold the louver and the spacer against the bar. -Theattaching members 40 preferably are screwed intothe supporting bars so as to be rigidly supported in a generally upright position.

Figure 2 shows the position of the louvers when the longerlegs 35 of the spacers 33 are directed upwardly on the supporting bars 7. When the awning is assembled inthis way, the screws 40 extend through the openings 39 in thespacers and clamp the spacers 33 between the louvers and the supporting bar. The screw'receiving openings in the main louvers 1 are located at the same predetermined distance from the upper edges thereof, this distance being preferably fixed so that engagement of the upper edges of these louvers with the supporting bars prevents contact of the-louvers with the upper surfaces of the spacers except adjacent the louver-engaging junctions 41 of the legs 34 and 35, regardless of which way-the spacers are positioned. This provides a small elearanee'42-between the upper leg of each spacer and its associated louver, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby tightening of the screws 40 holds the upper edges of the louvers tightly against the supporting bars 7 and prevents rattling of the louvers against the'supporting bars and loosening of the attaching screws.

-If desired, the spacers'for the main louvers 1 may be reversed when the awning is assembled, as shown in Fig. 3, so-that the louvers are inclined at a greater angle with respect tothe supporting bars 7 and more light is admitted to the'building by the awning. Such an arrangementisdesirable for shady sides of a house, whereas the arrangement shown in Fig. '2 is generally preferred for sunny sides.

The screw receiving opening in each main louver 1 is located at a fixed distance from the supporting-bar-engagingedgethereof, and the opening 39 in the spacer is closer to the supporting bar 7 than is the opening '38. Sinee'the louver engaging portion 41 of the spacer is always substantially the'same distance above the'supporting bar, regardless of which way it is positioned, the main louver is inclined at a greater angle when the shorter leg 34 f a'spacer is directed upwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, than when the longer'leg35 is so directed, as shown in Fig. 2.

If'tdesired the spacers for the top louver 19 may also be'reversed to 'changethe inclination of this louver, but it iszpreferable always to mount this louver in the one position shown in Fig. 2 so that the angles of inclination of the, portions 24 of the supporting bars and ofthe flange 20 ofthe top louver need not be altered topermit the upper part .of the awning to be mounted on the mounting rail as described above. Thus, the portions :21 and 22 of the top louver 19 may or may not be located in planes parallel to the planes of the portions '14 and 15 of the main louvers 1.

It will be understood that, in accordance with the patent statutes, variation and modifications of the specific devices disclosed herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In an awning having inclined supporting bars and a plurality of vertically spaced parallel overlapping louvers mounted on said supporting bars and inclined with respect thereto, an angle-shaped spacer member adapted to support one louver in one of two different inclined positions with respect to'one of said supporting bars, said spacer member comprising integrally joined legs engaging said one supporting bar, and each of said legs having an opening therein, the opening in one of .said legs being spaced farther from said bar than the opening in the other of said legs, an elongated attaching member for holding said onelouver and its spacer memberagainst sa-id'one supporting bar, said attaching member beingof a size to pass through both of said openings, a hole in said one louver spaced a predetermined distance from one side edge thereof, said attaching member extending through said hole and one of the openings in said spacer member and being connected to said one bar'to clamp said spacer member between said louver and said one bar, an intermediate portion of said spacer member adjacent said attaching member engaging the bottom surface of the louver, said one louver being held in one of said inclined positions with'said one side edge in engagement with said supporting bar and its opposite side edge spaced from said bar and overlapping the side edge of another louver.

2. In a stationary-louver type awning for doors,'windowsor other'building openings, an inclined supporting bar having an upright attaching member rigidly connected thereto, a louver of substantially uniform cross section throughoutits length, and a spacer member'interposed between said bar and said louver and adapted to supportisaid louverin either of two different inclined positions relative to said bar, the upper edge of said louver engaging said bar in both of said positions, said spacer member having legs of unequal length which engage the .bar and are joined at an obtuse angle with respect to each other to form an intermediate portion spaced farther 'from said bar than the remainder ofthe spacer member so as to engage said louver when it is in either of said two positions, an opening in each of said legs, the opening in the shorter leg being closer to the louver-engaging intermediate portion than'the opening inthe longer leg, a hole in said louver, said attaching member extending through said hole and one of said openings to holdsaid louver in one of said inclined'positions, said attaching member being adapted when placed in said hole 'and the other of said openings to hold said louver .in .the other of said positions so as to obtain a different angle of 1 inclination between the supporting 'bar and the louver.

3. An awningcomprising a rigid frame includingparallel upper and lower horizontal supports joined by inclined transverse supporting members, a plurality of longitudinally-extending parallel louvers having their'upper edges engaging said members, each louver being held in afixed position relative to said supporting members by attaching means including a spacer between that louver and one of said supporting members,-each spacer comprising a metal strip having oppositely inclined legs of different length integrally joined between the free ends of said legs, each of said free ends'being.

turned inwardly toward the end of the other .leg, van opening in each leg of the spacer,the opening in the shorter leg being closer to the junction of said legs than the opening-inthelonger leg, said attaching means also including a hole through each louver and a metal screw extending through said hole and through a spacer opening into one of said supporting members.

4. An awning comprising a rigid frame including up per and lower horizontal supports joined by inclined transverse supporting members, a plurality of parallel longitudinal louvers having their upper edges in engagement with said supporting members, said louvers being held in a fixed position relative to said supporting members by attaching means including spacers between each louver and said supporting members, each spacer comprising integral legs of different lengths diverging from a louver engaging junction thereof, an opening in each leg of the spacer, the opening in the shorter leg being closer to said junction than the opening in the longer leg, said attaching means also including holes through each louver and attaching members extending through said holes and through corresponding openings in said spacers and into said supporting members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,655,697 Albany Oct. 20, 1953 

